Tax cap jeopardizes Bangor private school funds

BANGOR – The city’s annual subsidy to three private schools may be in jeopardy.

For the first time in many years, funding for All Saints Catholic School, Bangor Christian School and John Bapst Memorial High School hasn’t been included in Bangor City Manager Ed Barrett’s recommended budget.

The city’s finance director explained earlier this week that the cuts are forced by a tight budget, which is “wholly attributable to the effects of LD 1,” the new state law that caps the amount of taxes to be raised for municipal services.

“In order to comply with the requirements of LD 1, we had to cut a significant amount of funds from the proposed budget before recommending it to the council,” said Finance Director Debbie Cyr.

The private schools have requested a total of $97,800 for 2006. The bulk of the money would go to All Saints, which uses its contribution for busing pupils to and from St. Mary’s (pre-kindergarten to fourth grade) and St. John’s (fifth grade to eighth grade). John Bapst puts its allotment toward passes for the city bus, while Bangor Christian School (pre-kindergarten to 12th grade) spends its subsidy for co-curricular activities such as field trips.

Also making a dent in Bangor’s finances is the state’s recent decision to stop reimbursing communities’ private school subsidies beginning July 1, said Cyr. The state now absorbs 21 percent of the city’s expenses.

City councilors will discuss private school funding during a meeting beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 31. A decision likely won’t be made until June, Cyr said.

Funding for private schools is always “a hot topic,” she said. She recalled that, in the 1990s, an attempt to eliminate the city’s contribution was forestalled by a huge public outcry.

“It’s one of those [decisions] that’s hard,” she said, noting that councilors believe it’s important to support education. “But to use taxpayer money for it always [leads to] a discussion, especially since we raise a significant amount of taxes to support our own [public] schools.”

City Councilor Dan Tremble predicted an uphill battle for the private schools. “Any group will have a hard time getting money back in the budget,” he said. “There’s not a lot of extra money unless we want to raise taxes.”

Under LD 1, the city possibly could raise taxes above the cap but only by getting voter approval in a citywide referendum.

Tremble said he would have preferred to see the subsidy phased out instead of eliminated outright, “if that’s the direction we want to go.”

Although LD 1 has restricted municipal spending, it resulted in a $2 million increase in state aid for education for Bangor, he pointed out.

The city has received a number of e-mails and phone calls, almost all in favor of keeping the private school subsidy, Cyr said.

According to some arguments, parents of Bangor children who attend private schools are taxpayers and thus are entitled to services. Supporters also contend that the city saves money when children attend private school.

But Cyr said Superintendent Robert Ervin has told her the costs of absorbing those students would be “minimal.”

Marcia Diamond, principal at All Saints, said parents also have safety concerns. Sidewalks aren’t always available and aren’t always plowed, making it difficult for elementary school pupils within walking distance. Also, registered sex offenders live in the vicinity of the schools.

Bangor Christian contributes daily to the city’s economy by bringing people to Bangor through the school’s academic and sports programs, said Principal Jim Chasse. Without the funding, the school may have to cut teachers and programs or raise tuition, he said.

Landis Green, headmaster at John Bapst, said because the city’s funding is limited to Bangor students, it affects only a small percentage of the school’s enrollment which comes from nearly 50 communities in a 60-mile radius.

Bangor council Chairman Frank Farrington said he would listen carefully to the arguments presented Tuesday. “I’ve got to justify having all taxpayers pay for something that’s a choice,” he said. “We provide a very good education – I’d stack up our school system with any place in the country. But it’s very important that people have a choice. I’d defend that too.”